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ChatGPT vs Microsoft Copilot: hands-on test and costs

Official prices and published usage limits for ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot (consumer), side by side. Every number links back to the vendor’s own page and shows when we last checked it.

ChatGPTfrom $8/mopaid plans shown below, USD excl. tax
Microsoft Copilot (consumer)from $9.99/mopaid plans shown below, USD excl. tax

Prices and limits side by side

ChatGPT

ChatGPT: plans, prices (USD, excl. tax) and published usage limits
PlanMonthlyAnnual (per month)
Free
  • Text chats: Unlimited*
  • Instant context window: 27K tokens
$0Billed monthly only
Go
  • Instant context window: 54K tokens
  • Reasoning context window: 256K tokens
$8Billed monthly only
Plus
  • Message caps: May apply, vary with system conditions
  • Instant context window: 54K tokens
  • Reasoning context window: 256K tokens
$20Billed monthly only
Pro 100
  • Instant context window: 128K tokens
  • Reasoning context window: 400K tokens
  • Included usage: Base Pro allowance
$100Billed monthly only
Pro 200
  • Instant context window: 128K tokens
  • Reasoning context window: 400K tokens
  • Included usage: More than Pro 100
$200Billed monthly only
Business (Standard seat)
  • Baseline access; workspace credits for usage beyond included limits.
  • Team size: 2–200 employees
$25$20billed annually
Business (Premium seat)
  • 5x more usage than Standard seats, no 5-hour usage limit.
  • Team size: 2–200 employees
$125$100billed annually
Last checked (Re-check due)Sources: learn.chatgpt.com ↗, chatgpt.com ↗, help.openai.com ↗

Microsoft Copilot (consumer)

Microsoft Copilot (consumer): plans, prices (USD, excl. tax) and published usage limits
PlanMonthlyAnnual (per month)
Microsoft 365 Personal
    		$9.99Price not verified (The vendor doesn’t publish an annual price for this plan.)$99.99 billed yearly
    Microsoft 365 Family
      		$12.99Price not verified (The vendor doesn’t publish an annual price for this plan.)$129.99 billed yearly
      Microsoft 365 Premium
        		$19.99Price not verified (The vendor doesn’t publish an annual price for this plan.)$199.99 billed yearly
        Microsoft 365 Pro
          		$99.99Billed monthly only
          Last checked (Re-check due)Source: microsoft.com ↗

          Compare the team cost of these plans in the subscription cost calculator →

          Hands-on test

          Verified prices (USD)

          Plan ChatGPT Microsoft Copilot
          Free Free tier Copilot free (limits)
          Personal paid Plus $20/mo; Pro higher Copilot Pro $20/mo
          Work Business / Enterprise M365 Copilot (add-on; confirm Microsoft)

          openai.com/pricing; microsoft.com Copilot pricing. Checked 2026-11-06.

          Pricing methodology · Calculators

          Methodology label: desk research. We have not yet run a recorded hands-on test for this pair, so this page contains no scores, timings, or win rates. Instead, here are the concrete tasks we will use when we do test, and which you can run yourself on the free tiers or trials:

          1. Draft a two-page letter, then restyle it in Word versus in a chat window
          2. Build a monthly budget table from pasted numbers and add a summary formula
          3. Turn a 1,000-word document into a 6-slide presentation outline
          4. Summarise a long email thread and draft a reply
          5. Plan a family trip itinerary with a budget and checklist

          For each task, note how long setup takes, how many retries you need, and whether the output is usable without manual fixes. Run the same input on both tools so the comparison is fair. We will update this section with real results once testing is complete.

          Which should you choose?

          • Choose if you want a flexible standalone assistant for writing, research, images, and voice: ChatGPT.
          • Choose if you already live in Word, Excel, and Outlook and want AI inside those apps: Microsoft Copilot through Microsoft 365.
          • Choose if you share with a household: Microsoft 365 Family bundles apps and storage for the household.
          • Choose if you are a heavy individual user who wants the top tier: compare ChatGPT Pro 200 with Microsoft 365 Pro on features, not price alone.

          In short: pick ChatGPT for a standalone, all-purpose assistant; pick Microsoft Copilot if your daily work already runs through Microsoft 365 apps. If you are unsure, start with whichever free tier or trial is available and run the tasks from the hands-on section on your own material before upgrading.

          Sources

          Full plan details: ChatGPT pricing · Microsoft Copilot pricing.